Hi Mitch,

this is what is called a "hidden track". The actual track #17 "Agent No. 1" is meant to run 3:55, the hidden track follows after more than nine minutes of silence at the time mark you mention. The hidden track would be #18 then. It's like this with all copies of the CD, not a disc error.

I think there is no one who likes these hidden track nuisance and I bet everyone would like to do without the waste of 10 minutes of disc time (and have 10 minutes of extra music instead), but well, you know who makes the decisions...

Regards,

Urs

handstand, June 29, 2006; 9:23 PM

I don't understaand... never heard of this "hidden track" thing being purposely done. What is the logic and reason behind it?
To me it sounds like a factory pressing defect and a manufacturing flaw.
I have the exact same problem in the European edition of "Les Triplettes De Bellevilles " which is annoying.

Another funny one which I have never encountered before is this 'Big Band' music cd which has multiple tracks even though only 3 tracks appear on the cd player.
The third track includes all the rest of the music on the cd.
I cannot go to track 10 or track 15 let's say without having to fast forward the music on track 3.
To me this is also another example of a factory pressing defect and a manufacturing flaw even though completely different from "Johnny English" mentioned by Mitch and my copy of "Les Triplettes De Belleville".

serifiot, June 29, 2006; 10:10 PM

seri, believe me, it is done on purpose on several albums, though usually (thankg god) not for soundtrack albums (one further example would be the Silva CD "Ipcress File" which added the Ipcress machine sound after a much smaller gap of perhaps 40 seconds in the last track).

The best-selling German pop album CD in 2002 had that "nice" feature as well (together with the even nastier "copy controlled" technology).

As I said, I agree that it is annoying. Basically they just delay the final track by several minutes and tell us it was an additional "bonus".

handstand, June 29, 2006; 10:19 PM

okay Urs... I believe you and trust your knowledge but still I don't understand why it is done.

serifiot, June 29, 2006; 10:36 PM

As Handstand states, it is done on purpose & not a defect.

Reasons for this are all over the place & usually down to an exec thinking it's a 'cool idea' ????

Verese did it with a little in joke at the end of Alien Nation, although without the extended gap. On Little Voice after the last cue you get Michael caine singing 'It's Over' from the sequence in the film, these are but 2 of many examples.

At first I wondered if it was a contractual thing, but a few good friends still in the business assured me it was not & just a new bizzare gimmick! 1 did mention that it was done on a few of their recordings to note the difference between the pirates & the real thing? as a pirate would not bother with a gap & then a final cue? But I do find this a bit of a long shot.

No doubt like coloured & odd shapped lps this is just a new toy & it will run it's course I'm sure.

Even with gaps, enjoy the music.

regards Andrew

ajbjmdb, June 29, 2006; 10:54 PM

... sounds dum for doing it in the first place but thanks for the reply Andrew.

serifiot, June 29, 2006; 11:46 PM

This "hidden track" phenomenom can also be found in Marco Beltramis score to THE WATCHER - just let the last track play on, and after endless silence, you'll hear a very short sequence of horn music.

thb8, June 30, 2006; 12:31 AM

Many thanks to all ... I have come across the hidden track idea before but on this occasion the sleeve details suggest the track actually lasts 15'+ ... with 10'+ as silence I think this is a bit of a cheat.

Oh well ...

Mitch, July 1, 2006; 11:49 AM